Harrogate International Centre, which has achieved a remarkable £180 million for the local economy during the 2010/11 financial year, has attributed its success to its marketing and sales strategy.
HIC’s head of sales and marketing; Alison Griffin said: “Our success in the last financial year would not have been possible had we not adopted a range of new and exciting marketing strategies. We knew the challenges that the industry was facing because of the global recession but were determined to create more opportunities for business by being creative and optimising our marketing and sales avenues. We decided to go that extra mile by taking a few risks and using whatever resources we had. Some of the strategies we adopted were quite simple and cost effective like making extensive use of social media. We needed to have faith in our team and I am pleased to report that it paid great dividends.”
Some of the marketing steps that HIC adopted are as follows:
* HIC wanted to re-engage with past and lapsed clients, reminding them of what it has to offer – in particular the warmth and high levels of service common to the town and venue. Through the use of a DM campaign early in the year several lapsed clients returned, the ROI hit more than 1,100% and we won an award for the campaign. * HIC organised a number of fam trips, which allowed potential buyers and the press to have a firsthand experience of Harrogate town and the HIC. These ranged from traditional venue and destination tours to live music concerts and even a murder mystery weekend. * Through the use of a professional PR agency, coverage across the media has trebled, with a greater focus on key messages, the venues selling points and positive stories. * Extensive use of social media has also allowed the venue to reach out to untapped markets, building a community through HIC’s blog, twitter, Linked In and Facebook pages and groups.
Alison continues:”Our marketing strategies required a lot of engagement not just with the potential buyers but also the local community. At every step we have promoted the town along with the venue. Above all, people don’t just come to Harrogate for the venue – there is far more here on offer and we continually try to present a cohesive and developed offering to potential clients.”